1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for improving writing and enhancing penmanship. More particularly it relates to a writing aid that would be attached to a writing instrument such as a pen or pencil to assist the writer in maintaining the proper pressure between the writing instrument tip and the surface upon which he is writing.
A common writing problem among children in particular is that they grip the pen or pencil too tightly and press too hard against the writing surface. This causes broken pencil tips, gouging of the writing surface and fatigue of the hand and fingers of the writer. The consequence of this is that poor penmanship and perhaps almost illegible writing results. Also, the fact of finger and hand fatigue causes the child to resist or minimize writing. Accordingly, the field of the present invention comtemplates a device that would be secured to a writing instrument to insure proper pressure against the writing surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is of course well recognized that ease of writing and legible penmanship are desirable for written communication. As a result various efforts have been made in the past to improve penmanship by providing writing aids for proper gripping of a pen or pencil. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,416,564 and 2,498,105 provide devices that are employed with writing instruments to assist the writer in maintaining a predetermined proper angle of the writing instrument with the surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,345 contemplates a writing aid that instructs the user in the proper location of his fingers in gripping the pen or pencil. These and other prior art patents all attempt to improve penmanship and instruct the writer in the optimum use of the writing instrument. However, none of these devices of the prior art are directed to the problem of maintaining appropriate pressure between the tip of the writing instrument and the writing surface, and it is to this problem that the present invention is directed.